


From The Shadows

by orphan_account



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, POV Peggy Schuyler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 17:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17390291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Peggy makes a decision. She is not sure it is the right one.





	From The Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I hope you will enjoy reading my first story in this fandom. I seriously needed some Hamgelica content, so I decided to write it myself. I am like a newborn horse when it comes to writing, so I gladly accept any advice. I am also not a native English speaker, so please tell me if I made any mistakes. 
> 
> Also: I adore Peggy, and I know that she was quite different in real life than in this fanfiction, but for the sake of the story, let her be like this. I promise she will become more confident in herself and find the love of her life. The same goes for Eliza.

Her place was never in the spotlight. She was the youngest, the least pretty, the child who never grew up. Angelica was beautiful, charismatic and the cleverest person in every room. Eliza was the sweetest, most caring soul she ever encountered. And Peggy… she was merely a shadow, accompanying her two beautiful sisters.

She didn't have a bad life. She felt loved, she knew Angelica and Eliza adored her, but sometimes she felt neglected. Her two older sisters were inseparable since childhood, and Peggy was never able to establish the same bond with either of them. But she loved them, loved them more than anything.

That's why it broke her heart when Alexander Hamilton entered their life.

Peggy wasn't always speaking, but she was always listening. She watched her sisters carefully, making sure they were safe and happy. She was excited for her first ball, she was always thrilled to hear Angelica and Eliza talk about the people, the music and all the dancing in pretty dresses. She knew that most men were after Angelica, but she also knew Eliza had her fair share of admirers as well.

She just hoped one day someone would notice her in the shadow of her sisters’ brightness.

On that night, she had Angelica help her dress up. She could finally wear a beautiful ball gown she always envied her sisters for. But as she looked at herself in the mirror she felt ridiculous. She felt small and meaningless beside her larger than life older sister. But Angelica and Eliza both assured her she looked beautiful, and the pressure in her chest easened up a little.

As soon as they entered the ballroom, every pair of eyes fell on them. She noticed Eliza squirming a little under the attention and she smiled to herself. Her sister was always so shy. Angelica also noticed her sister's discomfort right away and steered them away from the crowd.

“Are you feeling well, dear?”

“I am fine, Angelica. You should go and dance. You too, Peggy. I will be here watching you.”

Angelica looked hesitant for a moment and she opened her mouth to say something, but a sudden turmoil at the door stopped her. They all looked over to see five soldiers enter the room loudly and carelessly. Peggy didn't really care about them, but when she looked back to her sisters, she saw them wearing almost identical, lovestruck expressions. She turned to the soldiers again, but they were all young and handsome, she had no idea which ones could possibly steal her sisters' hearts.

Angelica seemed to make up her mind, as she swiftly bid them goodbye and went to mingle with the crowd. Peggy suspected she wanted to seek out the mysterious soldier, Angelica was never one to get shy. Peggy has never seen her in love before, but she was sure she would be just as confident in love matters as she was in every field of life. She offered an apologetic smile to Eliza who was still a little dazed, and went after her sister. She wanted to see this.

She didn't find Angelica until a few minutes later, talking to one of the soldiers they saw earlier. The man was clearly charmed by her sister, he was laughing at something she said and his eyes were sparkling. Angelica, on the other hand, didn't look as impressed as before. Maybe the man didn't meet her expectations. The soldier gently placed his hand on her sister's upper arm, and Peggy gasped. They weren't dancing, he shouldn't be touching her so casually! However, the touch didn't last long. A new man approached the pair and discreetly but firmly removed the soldier's hand from her sister. The two men watched each other intently, having a silent conversation, almost sizing up the other. The first man finally excused himself, leaving with his tail between his legs. Angelica smirked.

Oh. Of course, her sister would do this. He used that poor man to find out if her heart's chosen was interested enough in her to intervene. And clearly, he was. The soldier - who was currently standing inappropriately close to her sister - was handsome. He looked young, but he held himself confidently if not a bit cockily. And he looked at Angelica like he had found a missing part of himself.

The pair gravitated towards each other, they seemed to get closer with every word exchanged. Peggy couldn't help but step closer as well, she wanted to hear the exchange.

“You strike me as a woman who has never been satisfied.” Peggy felt her eyes widen. This man was unbelievable, saying things like that to a lady!

“I am sure I don't know what you mean.” Answered Angelica with an unimpressed glare. “You forget yourself.”

“You are like me.” He backtracked quickly. “I'm never satisfied.” The honesty and sorrow lacing his words made Peggy soften a little. Maybe he was not that bad.

Angelica got that peculiar expression on her face again, the one she got when she first saw this man.

“Is that right?” She offered her hand to him that he gladly took and pressed a light kiss to her knuckles, lingering a bit longer than strictly appropriate. Angelica didn't seem to mind.

“I have never been satisfied.” Confessed the man, still holding her sister's hand.

“My name's Angelica Schuyler.”

“Alexander Hamilton.”

Peggy smiled and decided to leave the two lovebirds alone. She could almost hear the wedding bells already. She turned to walk away and got a glimpse of Eliza's face. She looked utterly helpless and she was staring at… Alexander Hamilton. Peggy took a shaky exhale. Eliza seemed oblivious of the almost non-existent distance between Angelica and Alexander.

Peggy had to think quick. She knew Angelica. If she were to see Eliza now, she would give up Alexander just to make her sister happy. Peggy thought about the look on Alexander's face when he looked at Angelica, like she was the only thing he ever knew, and she made a decision. She could only hope it was the right thing to do.

She walked back to Eliza with shaking legs and told her she felt ill. Her pale face and trembling hands proved to be convincing enough as Eliza finally tore her eyes away from Alexander and immediately stood up to support her sister.

“We should tell Angelica that we need to go home.“

“I don't think we should bother her. She seems happy.” She said, indicating their sister and Alexander who were dancing by now, laughing and conversing passionately together. She saw the exact moment when realization hit on Eliza's face and she felt like crying seeing her sister's heart broke. She really hoped she did the right thing.

They stepped up to Angelica and her companion to tell her they were leaving. Angelica wanted to go with them of course, worry for Peggy written all over her face, but both Eliza and Peggy assured her they would be fine and she should stay. Angelica seemed reluctant, but Alexander took her hand and told her sheepishly that he selfishly wished for her to stay too. Angelica blushed at his words, something she almost never did. Eliza seemed gobsmacked too, seeing her older sister so oddly vulnerable and she smiled, an honest, happy smile for Angelica. She pulled her into a hug, whispering “he is crazy about you” in her ear which made Angelica blushing even more.

Peggy and Eliza quickly left, but Peggy looked back just in time to see Alexander pulling Angelica away from the crowd and in the general direction of the garden. She chuckled.

Three months, dozens of letters and a tense conversation between Alexander and Philip Schuyler later, Peggy found herself at the wedding of her oldest sister, and after seeing the satisfied smiles on the faces of her sisters and soon to be brother-in-law she finally realized she made the right choice.

Her place was never in the spotlight. But she made sure to ensure her sisters’ happiness from the shadows she lived in.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked my story, please show it with kudos or a comment. It means a lot to me. And if you have any advice or you noticed a mistake, don't hesitate to tell me, I want to improve as a writer.


End file.
